Courtesy: USAT

U.S. elite triathletes Hunter Kemper and Matt Reed were as hot as the weather on Sunday as they finished first and second respectively at the International Triathlon Union World Cup race in Mazatlan, Mexico.

Meanwhile, in the women's race, U.S. elite triathlete Sheila Taormina, who had announced her retirement from the sport after the Olympic Games in Athens, came out of retirement to finish sixth behind U.S. teammate Julie Swail, who was fifth.

Temperatures reached into the high 80s during the men's race. Kemper (Longwood, Fla.) and Reed (Boulder, Colo.), along with their U.S. teammates Andy Potts (Princeton, N.J.) and Brian Fleischmann (Jacksonville, Fla.) formed the lead group on the bike along with some international competition. Potts eventually dropped back with a flat tire, but the others maintained a lead over the strong chasers.

By the halfway point of the run, Kemper had moved to the front and never looked back, winning in 1 hour, 50 minutes, 32 seconds. Reed finished second in 1:50:47 and Maik Petzold of Germany was third in 1:50:55.

It was Kemper's second week in a row on a World Cup podium. On April 16, he finished second at the ITU World Cup race in Honolulu. He leads the ITU World Cup series rankings. Reed is right behind him in second.

It was the second World Cup victory of Kemper's career.

ITU World Cup
April 24, 2005; Mazatlan, Mexico
1.5k swim; 40k bike; 10k run

Men
1. Hunter Kemper (Longwood, Fla.) 1:50:31; 2. Matt Reed (Boulder, Colo.) 1:50:47; 3. Maik Petzold (Germany) 1:50:55; 4. Jan Frodeno (Germany) 1:51:06; 5. Antonio De Silva (Brazil) 1:51:15; 6. Shane Reed (New Zealand) 1:51:34; 7. Cedric Fleureton (France) 1:51:42; 8. Rasmus Henning (Denmark) 1:51:44; 9. Brent McMahon (Canada) 1:51:49; 10. Sebastien Dehmer (Germany)

Other U.S. Finishers
12. Victor Plata (San Luis Obispo, Calif.); 14. Seth Wealing (Fowler, Ind.); 16. Joe Umphenour (Bellevue, Wash.); 22. Andy Potts (Princeton, N.J.); 29. Doug Friman (Tucson, Ariz.); 32. Brian Fleischmann (Jacksonville, Fla.); 34. Mark Fretta (Portland, Ore.)

Women
1. Vanessa Fernandez (Portugal) 2:01:56; 2. Jill Savege (Canada) 2:03:51; 3. Joelle Franzmann (Germany) 2:04:32; 4. Megali Di Marco (Switzerland) 2:05:07; 5. Julie Swail (Irvine, Calif.) 2:05:45; 6. Sheila Taormina (Livonia, Mich.) 2:05:59; 7. Anneliese Heard (Great Britain) 2:06:05; 8. Samantha McGlone (Canada) 2:06:58; 9. Kerry Lang (Great Britain) 2:07:11; 10. Ainhoa Murua (Spain) 2:07:44

St. Anthony's Triathlon

U.S. elite triathlete Becky Lavelle of Cupertino, Calif., came back from a one-year layoff to win the women's elite/pro intermediate-distance race at the St. Anthony's Triathlon on Sunday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Lavelle, who did not race in 2004 due to injury, won in 2:01:59. Her U.S. teammate Susan Williams (Denver, Colo.) was second in 2:03:17 and Barb Lindquist (Alta, Wyo.) was third in 2:03:20.

Lavelle's run time of 37:56 was the second fastest of the day behind U.S. elite Laura (Reback) Bennett's of 37:01.

Greg Bennett of Australia won the men's race in 1:48:42. Greg Remaly was the top U.S. men's finisher in third.

Overall, the St. Anthony's Triathlon drew more than 3,500 athletes for its weekend of racing.

For complete results, go to www.satriathlon.com.